The fate of pubs and bars at CyberHub and five star hotels near the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway and Sector 29 hangs in balance, as the measurement report has not been finalised due to the delay in getting the opinion of the Huda district town planner (DTP) for cross verification of the sanctioned plans of the establishments.
The pub and bar operators were asked to attach the sanctioned maps along with affidavits seeking measurement of the distance from the highway by a committee formed for the purpose.The excise department, till Thursday, received 70 affidavits from watering holes and eateries, including those in CyberHub, Sector 29, Udyog Vihar and Sohna Road and the majority of the applicants attached the maps along with applications.
Measurement of distance at most of these outlets has been carried out, but the district administration is unable to submit the final report of the committee to the headquarters in Chandigarh, as the attached maps are to be vetted and verified by the Huda (Haryana urban development authority).
Though the owners of pubs and bars in these areas claimed that their joints fall out of the purview of the 500-metre rule, they cannot resume operations for want of more clarity from the authorities.
Read I Gurgaon CyberHub pubs may escape SC highway liquor ban
“We are awaiting advice and more clarity from the district town planner, senior town planner of the Town and Country Planning department and the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (HSIIDC),” Hardeep Singh, deputy commissioner, Gurgaon, said.
The excise department had earlier prepared a list of 146 establishments — later revised to 115 — that were deemed to have fallen within the purview of the Supreme Court’s 500-metre rule. The apex court, in a landmark directive, had banned the sale of liquor within 500 metres of national and state highways.
The district administration had asked the pub/bar owners to submit their affidavits, so that all doubts over the ruling could be cleared and proper measurements could be taken.
Singh had formed a committee to enforce the Supreme Court ruling and measure the motorable distance of the joints that had to temporarily suspend operations in the light of the apex court directive. The committee members had visited CyberHub, Sector 29 and Sohna Road on April 1 and stopped the sale of liquor in pubs and bars till further notice.
Earlier, on April 13, the team had measured the distance of 19 establishments including 16 pub/bars at Sector 29 and those at Barbet Tourist complex of Haryana Tourism, Treehouse Queens Pearl(Rajiv Chowk) and Savoy Suites Hotel Manesar. Except one, all other establishments were found safe.
